mUltimate Chopin

Op. 2, Variations, complete

Text Compare Notes Sources Description

Issues : Last key signature sign

b. 43-44

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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As in b. 35-36 and 39-40, in the manuscripts Chopin overlooked some of the necessary accidentals, in this case only flats. AsI lacks a  to the 14th semiquaver in b. 43 (g2) and to the 10th semiquaver in b. 44 (g), and A lacks a  to the 14th semiquaver in b. 43 (g2) and flats to the 8th and 20th semiquavers in b. 44 (g1 and g). All omitted accidentals were already added in GE1, which was repeated in the remaining editions. In the main text, we omit the unnecessary repetition.
In the AsI notation, attention is drawn to the unnecessary repetitions of flats before g3 in bar 43 (as in A) and g1 in bar 44, as well as 3 flats (cautionary?) before e3 in bar 43 and e2 and RH. e in bar 44.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Last key signature sign , Inaccuracies in A

b. 87

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In the main text we add a cautionary  to e2. In AsI Chopin wrote a  to e1 in the L.H. part.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Cautionary accidentals , Last key signature sign

b. 150

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In the main text we omit the unjustified  (cautionary?) to a1 present in A (→GE1→FE,EE,GE2→FESB). The accidental was omitted in GE3 as well.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Editorial revisions

issues: Last key signature sign

b. 255

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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Both in the last L.H. chord and in the R.H. arpeggio on the 4th beat of the bar, neither AsI nor Af nor A (→GE1→FE,EE) contain accidentals before g/g notes in various octaves. Actually, harmonically speaking, g would be possible; however, in this context, it is much more likely that we are dealing with overlooked naturals:

  • after changing the key signature, Chopin was uncertain which were valid – this is proven by numerous unnecessary flats before d, g, a and even e and b in bars 255-259 in AsI; in A there is still a flat before B at the end of bar 255 and before g2 in bar 256;
  • diminished seventh chords belonged to young Chopin's favourite ones.

The decisive argument for g is provided by the orchestral part – there is a g note in the 2nd violins, and the violins could not play g here.

The first edition to add naturals was GE2 (→FESB), 4 accidentals in total raising g1 to g1 in the L.H. and g2, g1 and g to g2, g1 and g in the R.H. The overlooked  to the 2nd demisemiquaver (g3) was added by GE3, in which, however, the accidental to the penultimate demisemiquaver, g, was overlooked.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Errors in GE , GE revisions , Errors of A , Last key signature sign

b. 256

composition: Op. 2, Variations, complete

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In the manuscripts there are no accidentals in the second triplet (on the 3rd beat of the bar). In the main text we include both added flats – perhaps by Chopin in GE (→FE,EE) – although it is only the  restoring a1 that is indispensable. Incidentally, also in the previous triplet, an octave higher, the  to g2 present in all sources is also of a cautionary nature.

category imprint: Interpretations within context; Differences between sources

issues: Accidentals in different octaves , GE revisions , Cautionary accidentals , Authentic corrections of GE , Last key signature sign